Summer Analyst - Technology Review

I very much enjoyed my internship. It was an informative and fascinating opportunity to see what it is like to work in a multinational company and the IT challenges that such an organisation has to deal with, It also gave me a great opportunity to build a network of like minded, intelligent people my age, as well as develop relationships with industry experts. I feel like I added value, learnt a lot about my division and had a fair amount of fun along the way. I never felt under pressure to work silly hours, but I did have high standards and expectations to live up to.

Considering I am an intern with little to no technical expertise in IT, I felt that my efforts and time were valued pretty highly. My managers seemed interested in the work I was producing and a range of other colleagues outside my team and department happily gave up some of their precious time to talk me through their roles and experiences at the bank. This was really valuable for me and showed that the culture at the bank is one in which interns and graduates are valued as they are the future of the company.

The support network I had was very strong. I had two managers on my desk who were very invested in me and very friendly. I was also assigned a buddy and mentor who were always happy to meet up and discuss any challenges I was experiencing and answer any questions I had. My HR rep was also reasonably supportive and responsive to questions. The support structure was comprehensive and I never felt that I was in a position where I did not have anyone to discuss issues with in the bank.

Once I had settled into my projects and desk I was pretty busy, I can think of very few days where I was at a loose end, despite the fact that my manager was out of office for two weeks of my internship. I felt like I had a significant amount of work to be getting on with at any one time but very rarely felt overwhelmed or had to stay particularly late. On average I worked from 8.30 until 17.30 (with an hour for lunch) and this was necessary to meet all my deadlines. I didn't ever feel like I needed to stay in the office just to look busy,

I was not handed too much responsibility during my internship, but I don't blame anyone for this, as I had very little expertise in the field I was working in. However I think it is a testament to my manager that he found work for me which added value to the firm without putting me under pressure to deliver critical projects. I was given a large degree of independence with my work, which I appreciated. Being able to get on with tasks and being trusted with them is very rewarding and important for development.

There are not many specific technical skills that I picked up or developed during my time with the bank that will directly impact my studies, except perhaps an increased proficiency in Java. However, some general skills such as improved presentation and communication skills will definitely help at university. The range of office skills that I have developed will have a large impact when I enter a graduate job. I feel a lot more prepared for the working business world now than I did at the beginning of the summer.

The office atmosphere was friendly and generally quite relaxed. This made for a low-stress, high-productivity, pleasant working experience. As my internship overlapped with the school summer holidays, colleagues were in and out of the office quite frequently. This meant I had an opportunity to interact with a range of colleagues and they were all friendly and interested in me. The office amenities were relatively extensive and also modern, which made work a comfortable place to spend the day.

The internship was relatively well organised. A number of fun social events were organised which were a great chance to build relationships with fellow interns and enjoy all the excitement London has to offer. There were also a number of training sessions for soft skills such as presentations, time management, personal brand etc. which were not that insightful. Prior and during the internship, a large catalogue of elearning courses were provided which were really detailed and very helpful. All the key events and milestones of the programme were clearly and punctually communicated.

There were two days of cross-divisional training to learn about the Bank's financial position, key business areas and values and culture. These were a good opportunity to meet fellow interns and clearly Deutsche Bank had invested a large amount in this event. Throughout the programme, a range of external courses were run on soft office skills, which were delivered reasonably well and frequently, but were of limited value in truth. The elearning course package provided was incredibly interesting and helpful and probably the best part of the training programme on offer.

Technology, the division I worked in, is an area of growth in terms of investment and personnel for the bank, which has meant that in recent years the rate of graduate offers for interns has been very high. In areas of growth for the bank, the employment prospects for graduates with the right blend of technical and soft skills are great. Other areas are slightly more strict on the number of interns that are accepted full time, but competition to get on to any programme is fierce given the firm's position as a global player and the current job market.

There were well over 100 interns across the bank in London when I was there, which meant there was always someone up for doing something fun. There were a range of organised events for us to network, but there was a significant appetite among interns to organise our own social gatherings through social media. Going for drinks after work or doing lunch was a regular experience. I developed strong ties with fellow interns in my division, as well as making friends with interns in other areas of the bank.

London prices for virtually everything is quite eye watering relative to the rest of the country, but the compensation does take this into account. Living in London, particularly for a short term period can be really pricey, but if you pick the right area and are not too fussy then it is definitely worth it as an intern or graduate. In and around the City of London, the price of a pint of beer is roughly £4.70, which provides a rough guideline to the kind of premium charged on drinks, food and entry to clubs, bars and restaurants.

It's London, so there is literally something for everyone in this category, If you are willing to travel a bit and aren't too worried about the financial aspect, a great night can be had by all. There is also a good range of bars and pubs for those who are not a fan or have outgrown the club scene, which adds optionality. There are a group of very large clubs for those who enjoy that kind of thing, but also numerous smaller, more intimate venues which means it would be very hard to get bored of going out in London.

Aside from regular social events which were centred around food and drink, there were not many opportunities for activities such as sport run through the bank, or if there were, they weren't widely advertised. There is a company subsidised gym which is a nice perk, particularly if you don't want to have to pay a premium for the convenience of being a member of a Central London gym close to the office. But for such a large organisation, I was surprised by the lack of organisations/societies on offer.